Artist Transforms Everyday Tableware Into Ornate Filigree Sculptures

Artist Wiebke Meurer is fascinated by history—particularly European design—and honors her interest by completely transforming it into something new and spectacular. The German creative’s work references 18th-century tableware like bowls, saucers, tea cups, and silverware, but she strips them of their utility. To do this, she cuts into the gold and silver objects to produce elaborate filigree designs. For things like a spoon, this intricate slicing extends from its handle to its base. It effectively converts the once-functional utensil into a delicate, decorative work of art.

Once Meurer has altered the state of these objects, they are no longer usable. Liquids and food would slip right through the organic-looking designs. “I’m not concerned about the restoration of the broken object,” Meurer explains. “I want to deconstruct it, to reach the heart of its integrity and reinvent it, both formally and functionally.” They’re “freed from their historical context” to live a new life as sculptures that please the eye.

Weibke Meurer transforms everyday tableware into decorative works of art.